Today according to the Traditional Calendar of 1962 is the 3rd Class Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop and Confessor.
St. Anthony was born in Sallent, Spain, in 1807. His father was a weaver. He studied to be a Jesuit priest, but was unable to complete his work to be a Jesuit. St. Anthony went on to be ordained as a diocesan priest. Later on he founded Catholic orders dedicated the Blessed Mother, the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary or the Claretians and also the order for Claretian nuns. Between 1850 to 1857, he was the archbishop in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Later on he returned to Spain and became the confessor in the court of Queen Isabella II. Saint Anthony participated in the First Vatican Council in 1868 and 1870. It was said that he cured many people of their illnesses through the power of Christ. He died in 1870 in exile in France. He also did much to help revive the Catalan language.
St. Anthony Mary Claret had the gift of prophecy and performed many miracles. He was opposed by the liberal forces of Spain and Cuba and endured many trials.
There are 3,100 Claretian missionaries working in sixty-five different countries around the world. Founded in Spain by St Anthony Mary Claret in 1849 as the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the initials of each member is CMF (Cordis Mariae Filius = “Son of the Heart of Mary”)
St. Anthony Mary Claret was beatified in Rome by Pope Pius XI on February 24, 1934. He was canonized 16 years later by Pope Pius XII on May 7, 1950. Pope John XXIII included him in the General Roman Calendar in 1960 and fixed his feast on October 23. October 23rd is also in some places the Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Prayer:
O God, with the virtues of an apostle Thou didst exalt blessed Anthony Mary, and through him build in Thy Church new religious congregations of men and women; grant, we pray, that led by his counsels and helped by his prayers, we may unremittingly work for the salvation of souls. Through our Lord . . .
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